Communications environments exist in which multiple communications signal sources require access to a single target of the communications environment. Currently, in such environments, communications are handled using time division multiplexing, slotted time division multiplexing or analog switches. These techniques, however, have proven to be inadequate, especially for servicing asynchronous communications events.
For example, one or more of the current techniques are incapable of handling asynchronous communications, suffer from lower bandwidth, have requirements that the message size must be known and/or must remain constant or be padded, and cannot comply with industry standard protocols, such as I2C (Inter-Integrated Chip), SMbus (System Management Bus), CAN (Controller Area Network), and UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter). Further, the analog switch approach has the complexity of added circuitry, higher costs and lower reliability associated with more components, and higher board space usage in addition to enables needed for addressing that add extra signals that may not be available.
Based on the foregoing, a need exists for a capability that facilitates servicing of asynchronous communications events. In particular, a need exists for a capability that facilitates servicing of asynchronous communications events in an environment in which multiple source components seek access to a single target component.